MLB Star Pitcher Shares Gospel and Bible Verse with Fans in Viral Video
A video of a star MLB pitcher sharing his favorite Bible verse and presenting the gospel to fans has gone viral on social media. The video shows Cleveland Guardians pitcher Cade Smith talking to fans near the dugout as he discusses 1 Corinthians 6:11, a verse embroidered prominently on the outside of his glove near the Rawlings logo. "Does anyone know this verse on top of their head?" he asks the fans, some of them children. "So this is one of my favorite verses, because basically [1 Corinthians 6, verses 9 and 10] is a statement of universal condemnation. You can ask your parents about that one, but it means everyone sinned -- no one's good enough. You're not getting to heaven on your own.
"Verse 11 starts, 'and that's what you guys were -- but you were washed, justified, sanctified by the name of Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God."
Smith said the verse gives him great comfort.
"And so regardless of how any outing goes -- up or down, if I succeed or I struggle, or I do really bad -- I know that I'm not actually a pitcher," Smith said. "I'm washed, I'm justified, I'm sanctified. And those are things no one can take from you."
The 26-year-old right-hander has become one of Major League Baseball's top relievers after going undrafted in the pandemic-shortened 2020 draft. He posted a 6-1 record during his rookie season in 2024 with a 1.91 ERA and 103 strikeouts, finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. His stats this year have taken a slight dip with a 5-4 record and a 2.62 ERA -- yet he has recorded wins in his last four appearances and has not allowed a run during his last five games.
He played high school ball at Mennonite Educational Institute in British Columbia and college at the University of Hawaii.
He told Sports Network Cleveland last year that he tries not to compare himself to other pitchers.
"It's not about trying to emulate a specific person, but for me, it's about trying to maximize the ability that God has given me and the potential that I have," he said. "And if I reach the potential -- that's what it's about. It's not about trying to copy somebody and have the exact same career as them. It's about trying to take advantage of the opportunity that I've been given."
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Icon Sportswire/Contributor
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published August 18, 2025.
